Airbag cover

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a cover for closing a mouth of a receptacle holding an airbag with at least one airbag flap, wherein the cover has at least one breakaway line at the edge of the airbag flap(s) in order to enable the unfolding of the airbag, and wherein the airbag flap(s) is/are connected via a hinge element to a flap support wall in a molded manner, which is in contact with the inner surface of the receptacle wall in particular in a secured manner, wherein the flap support wall runs around the inner surface of the receptacle wall such that at least the four corners of the receptacle near the airbag flap(s) are covered.

The invention relates to a cover for a mouth of a receptacle holding an airbag with at least one airbag flap, wherein the cover having has at least one breakaway line at the edge of the airbag flap(s) in order to enable the unfolding of the airbag, and wherein the airbag flap(s) is/are connected via a hinge element to a flap support wall in a molded manner, which flap support wall is in contact with the inner surface of the receptacle wall in particular in a secured manner.

Such a cover is known from EP 2 727 775 [US 2014/0117649]. In the case of these covers, it has been shown that the receptacle accommodating the airbag is not always sufficiently durable. This is in particular the case in places where the plastic parts meet in plastic injection molding.

The object of the invention is to improve a cover of the above-mentioned type such that the receptacle is reinforced without increasing its weight.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the flap support wall runs around the inner surface of the receptacle wall such that at least the four corners of the receptacle near the airbag flap(s) are covered.

In this manner, the flap support wall forms a reinforcement of the region of the receptacle near the airbag flap(s). The receptacle wall and the hinge element of the airbag flap(s) are reinforced, and the places where the plastic parts meet in injection molding are also secured.

It is preferably proposed for the flap support wall to form a peripheral frame on whose longitudinal frame side(s) the airbag flap(s) is/are connected via the hinge element. It is also possible for the airbag flap(s) and/or the flap support wall to have a material reservoir in the form of a fold in the region of the hinge element. Furthermore, the reinforcement is increased by fixing the flap support wall to the inner surface of the receptacle wall.

A large exit opening is ensured for the airbag if the surface area of one airbag flap or two airbag flaps corresponds to the area of the mouth of the receptacle.

Particularly high resistance is achieved if the airbag flap(s) and the flap support wall are composed of a composite material having at least one layer comprising plastic strips or fibers, in particular composed of thermoplastic polypropylene or polyester, and at least one plastic layer melted thereon. The plastic strips or fibers can form a fabric.

The assembly of the cover is facilitated if the lower edge of at least one longitudinal frame side of the flap support wall has mounting tabs. Furthermore, the cover is usually covered by an outer cover layer composed of a plastic foam material and an outer skin.

An embodiment of the cover according to the invention is shown in a perspective view in the drawing and will be explained in greater detail below.

The cover 1 according to the invention is used in an airbag unit of a motor vehicle having a vehicle interior trim or instrument panel having a receptacle mouth through can pass the airbag of the unit. The airbag unit has a receptacle accommodating the airbag (cushion) and having an upper opening closed by the cover 1 that has one or two airbag flaps 2 that span the mouth of the receptacle. If only one airbag flap 2 is used, the outer dimensions of the airbag flap correspond to the surface dimensions of the upper mouth of the receptacle. If two airbag flaps are provided, the outer dimensions of each half flap correspond to half the area of the upper mouth of the receptacle.

The longitudinal side of the one or two airbag flap(s) 2 is articulated to a flap support wall 3 via a hinge element 4, and the flap support wall surrounds the mouth of the receptacle. In this case, the flap support wall 3 surrounds the mouth as a closed frame, or the flap support wall 3 runs along the inner surface of the receptacle wall such that at least the four corners of the receptacle near the airbag flap(s) 2 are covered. In the latter case, a longitudinal side of the flap support wall 3 forms a gap.

The hinge element 4 between the flap support wall 3 and airbag flap(s) 2 is molded on the airbag flap(s) and the flap support wall 3 such that the airbag flap(s), hinge element and flap support wall 3 are formed from a single plastic part that is produced in a plastic injection molding process. In this case, the hinge element 4 forms a fold (as shown, for example, by EP 2 727 775) as a material reservoir such that the flap(s) can move outward to a limited extent.

The flap support wall 3 is in contact with the inner surface of the receptacle wall and is preferably fixed thereto.

The airbag flap(s) 2, the flap support wall 3 and the hinge element 4 are composed of a composite material having at least one layer composed of plastic strips and/or fibers, in particular made of thermoplastic polypropylene or polyester, and at least one plastic layer melted thereon. In this case, the plastic bands or fibers can form a fabric.

The lower edge of the flap support wall 3 is formed with mounting tabs spaced at regular intervals, and the cover 1 is covered by an outer cover layer composed of a plastic foam material and an outer skin. 

1. A cover for closing a mouth of a receptacle holding an airbag, the cover comprising at least one airbag flap, at least one breakaway line at an edge of the airbag flap in order to enable unfolding of the airbag, and a hinge element connecting the airbag flap to a flap support wall in a molded manner, the flap support wall being in contact with an inner surface of a receptacle wall, the flap support wall extending around the inner surface of receptacle wall such that at least four corners of the receptacle near the airbag flap are covered.
 2. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the flap support wall forms a peripheral frame to whose longitudinal frame side the airbag flap is connected via the hinge element.
 3. The cover according to either claim 1, wherein the airbag flap or the flap support wall has a material reservoir in the form of a fold in the region of the hinge element extending a length of the airbag flap outward.
 4. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the flap support wall is fixed to the inner surface of the receptacle wall.
 5. The cover according to claim 1, wherein a surface area of an airbag flap corresponds to an area of the mouth of the receptacle.
 6. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the airbag flap and the flap support wall are composed of a composite material having at least one layer composed of plastic strips or fibers of polypropylene or polyester and at least one plastic layer melted thereon.
 7. The cover according to claim 6, wherein the plastic strips or fibers form a fabric.
 8. The cover according to claim 2, wherein the lower edge of at least one longitudinal frame side of the flap support wall has mounting tabs.
 9. The cover according to claim 1, further comprising: an outer cover layer composed of a plastic foam material and an outer skin. 